Skip to content
Licensed Unlicensed Requires Authentication Published by De Gruyter October 15, 2017

Genotyping of Acanthamoeba spp. from water sources from Northwestern Iran

Ali Haniloo, Ali Pezeshki, Abbas Mahmmodzadeh and Elnaz Kadkhodamohammadi
From the journal Acta Parasitologica

Abstract

Acanthamoeba spp. are free-living amoebae which are ubiquitously distributed worldwide and can be found in the wide range of environments, particularly in various types of water sources, where they able to cause important health problems. In the present study, cultures containing Acanthamoeba from water samples were obtained from our earlier survey. For an analysis of the genetic pattern of Acanthamoeba isolates, DNA sequencing of nuclear small-subunit rRNA gene (18S rRNA or Rns) was applied. A phylogenetic analyses of the isolates displayed that all of them were belonged to the potentially pathogenic T4 genotype. This investigation provides further evidence that the T4 genotype is the most prevalent in water samples and demonstrates that there is a need for taking more consideration to water sources in order to prevent complications associated with pathogenic Acanthamoeba spp.

Acknowledgements

The authors are extremely grateful to all of the technicians in Parasitology and Mycology Department of, School of Medicine, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences who helped to carry out this study. This investigation was supported by a grant from The Research Vice-Chancellery of Zanjan University of Medical Sciences (No. A-12-942-1).

References

Adamska M. 2015. Molecular Characterization of Acanthamoeba spp. Occurring in Water Bodies and Patients in Poland and Redefinition of Polish T16 Genotype. Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology, 63, 262–270. 10.1111/jeu.12275Search in Google Scholar

Adamska M., Leonska-Duniec A., Lanocha N., Skotarczak B. 2014. Thermophilic potentially pathogenic amoebae isolated from natural water bodies in Poland and their molecular characterization. Acta Parasitologica, 59, 433–441. 10.2478/s11686-014-0266-725119357Search in Google Scholar

Armand B., Motazedian M., Asgari Q. 2016. Isolation and identification of pathogenic free-living amoeba from surface and tap water of Shiraz City using morphological and molecular methods. Parasitology research, 115, 63–68. 10.1007/s00436-015-4721-726412057Search in Google Scholar

Astorga B., Lorenzo-Morales J., Martín-Navarro C.M., Alarcón V., Moreno J., González A.C., Navarrete E., Piñero J.E., Valladares B. 2011. Acanthamoeba Belonging to T3, T4, and T11: Genotypes Isolated from Air Conditioning Units in Santiago, Chile. Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology, 58, 542–544. 10.1111/j.1550-7408.2011.00584.xSearch in Google Scholar

Badirzadeh A., Niyyati M., Babaei Z., Amini H., Badirzadeh H., Rezaeian M. 2011. Isolation of free-living amoebae from sarein hot springs in ardebil province, iran. Iranian journal of parasitology, 6, 1–822347281Search in Google Scholar

Behniafar H., Niyyati M., Lasjerdi Z. 2015. Molecular characterization of pathogenic Acanthamoeba isolated from drinking and recreational water in East Azerbaijan, Northwest Iran. Environmental health insights, 9, 7–12. 10.4137/EHI.S2781126157334Search in Google Scholar

Booton G., Kelly D., Chu Y.W., Seal D., Houang E., Lam D., Byers T., Fuerst P. 2002. 18S ribosomal DNA typing and tracking of Acanthamoeba species isolates from corneal scrape specimens, contact lenses, lens cases, and home water supplies of Acanthamoeba keratitis patients in Hong Kong. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 40, 1621–1625. 10.1128/JCM.40.5.1621-1625.2002Search in Google Scholar

Booton G.C., Visvesvara G.S., Byers T.J., Kelly D.J. Fuerst P.A. 2005. Identification and distribution of Acanthamoeba species genotypes associated with nonkeratitis infections. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 43, 1689–1693. 10.1128/JCM.43.4.1698-1693.200515814986Search in Google Scholar

Cabello-Vílchez A.M., Martín-Navarro C.M., López-Arencibia A., Reyes-Batlle M., González A.C., Guerra H., et al. 2014. Genotyping of potentially pathogenic Acanthamoeba strains isolated from nasal swabs of healthy individuals in Peru. Acta tropica, 130, 7–10. 10.1016/j.actatropica.2013.10.00624140300Search in Google Scholar

Chan L. L., Mak J. W., Low Y. T., Koh T. T., Ithoi I., Mohamed S.M. 2011. Isolation and characterization of Acanthamoeba spp. from air-conditioners in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Acta tropica, 117, 23–30. 10.1016/j.actatropica.2010.09.004Search in Google Scholar

Corsaro D., Walochnik J., Köhsler M., Rott M.B. 2015. Acanthamoeba misidentification and multiple labels: redefining genotypes T16, T19, and T20 and proposal for Acanthamoeba micheli sp. nov.(genotype T19). Parasitology research, 114, 2481–2490. 10.1007/s00436-015-4445-8Search in Google Scholar

Di Cave D., D’Alfonso R., Comlavi K.A.D., D’Orazi C., Monno R., Berrilli F. 2014. Genotypic heterogeneity based on 18S-rRNA gene sequences among Acanthamoeba isolates from clinical samples in Italy. Experimental parasitology, 145, 46–49. 10.1016/j.exppara.2014.05.009Search in Google Scholar

Di Filippo M.M., Santoro M., Lovreglio P., Monno R., Capolongo C., Calia C., et al. 2015. Isolation and molecular characterization of free-living Amoebae from different water sources in Italy. International journal of environmental research and public health, 12, 3417-3427. 10.3390/ijerph12040341725811766Search in Google Scholar

Edagawa A., Kimura A., Kawabuchi-Kurata T., Kusuhara Y., Karanis P. 2009.Search in Google Scholar

Isolation and genotyping of potentially pathogenic Acanthamoeba and Naegleria species from tap-water sources in Osaka, Japan. Parasitology research, 105, 1109–1117. 10.1007/s00436-009-1528-419565268Search in Google Scholar

Fuerst P.A., Booton G.C., Crary M. 2015. Phylogenetic analysis and the evolution of the 18S rRNA gene typing system of Acanthamoeba. Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology, 62, 69–84. 10.1111/jeu.12186Search in Google Scholar

Gianinazzi C., Schild M., Zumkehr B., Wüthrich F., Nüesch I., Ryter R., et al.2010. Screening of Swiss hot spring resorts for potentially pathogenic free-living amoebae. Experimental parasitology, 126, 45–53. 10.1016/j.exppara.2009.12.00820036656Search in Google Scholar

Hajialilo E., Behnia M., Tarighi F., Niyyati M., Rezaeian M. 2016. Isolation and genotyping of Acanthamoeba strains (T4, T9, and T11) from amoebic keratitis patients in Iran. Parasitology research, 115, 3147–3151. 10.1007/s00436-016-5072-827102637Search in Google Scholar

Hall T.A. 1999. BioEdit: a user-friendly biological sequence alignment editor and analysis program for Windows 95/98/NT. In: Nucleic acids symposium series, pp. 95–98Search in Google Scholar

Huang S.W., Hsu B.M. 2010. Isolation and identification of Acanthamoeba from Taiwan spring recreation areas using culture enrichment combined with PCR. Acta tropica, 115, 282–287. 10.1016/j.actatropica.2010.04.01220434423Search in Google Scholar

Ithoi I., Mahmud R., Abdul Basher M., Jali A., Abdulsalam A., Ibrahim J., Mak J. 2013. Acanthamoeba genotype T4 detected in naturally-infected feline corneas found to be in homology with those causing human keratitis. Trop Biomed, 30, 131–14023665719Search in Google Scholar

Khan N.A. 2006. Acanthamoeba: biology and increasing importance in human health. FEMS microbiology reviews, 30, 564–595. 10.1111/j.1574-6976-2006-00023.x16774587Search in Google Scholar

Kong H.H. 2009. Molecular phylogeny of Acanthamoeba. The Korean journal of parasitology, 47, 21–28. 10.3347/kjp.2009.47.S.S21Search in Google Scholar

Kuk S., Yazar S., Dogan S., Çetinkaya Ü., Şakalar Ç. 2013. Molecular characterization of Acanthamoeba isolated from Kayseri well water. Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences, 43, 12–17. 10.3906/sag-1205-26Search in Google Scholar

Lasjerdi Z., Niyyati M., Haghighi A., Shahabi S., Biderouni F.T., Taghipour N., et al. 2011. Potentially pathogenic free-living amoebae isolated from hospital wards with immunodeficient patients in Tehran, Iran. Parasitology research, 109, 575–580. 10.1007/s00436-011-2288-521365453Search in Google Scholar

Lass A., Szostakowska B., Idzińska A., Chomicz L. 2014. The first genotype determination of Acanthamoeba potential threat to human health, isolated from natural water reservoirs in Poland. Parasitology research, 113, 2693–2699. 10.1007/s00436-014-3925-624770720Search in Google Scholar

Ledee D., Iovieno A., Miller D., Mandal N., Diaz M., Fell J.,et al. 2009. Molecular identification of T4 and T5 genotypes in isolates from Acanthamoeba keratitis patients. Journal of clinical microbiology, 47, 1458–1462. 10.1128/JCM.02365-0819321730Search in Google Scholar

Mahmoudi M.R., Rahmati B., Seyedpour S.H., Karanis P. 2015. Occurrence and molecular characterization of free-living amoeba species (Acanthamoeba, Hartmannella, and Saccamoeba limax) in various surface water resources of Iran. Parasitology research, 114, 4669–4674. 10.1007/s00436-015-4712-826346454Search in Google Scholar

Memari F., Niyyati M., Haghighi A., Tabaei S.J.S., Lasjerdi Z. 2015. Occurrence of pathogenic Acanthamoeba genotypes in nasal swabs of cancer patients in Iran. Parasitology research, 114, 1907–1912. 10.1007/s00436-015-4378-225704644Search in Google Scholar

Niyyati M., Lasgerdi Z., Lorenzo-Morales J. 2015a. Detection and molecular characterization of potentially pathogenic free-living amoebae from water sources in Kish Island, Southern Iran. Microbiology insights, 1, 1–6. 10.4137/MBI.SSearch in Google Scholar

Niyyati M., Lorenzo-Morales J., Rahimi F., Motevalli-Haghi A., Martín-Navarro C.M., Farnia S., et al. 2009. Isolation and genotyping of potentially pathogenic Acanthamoeba strains from dust sources in Iran. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 103, 425–427. 10.1016/j.trstmh.2008.12.00719185896Search in Google Scholar

Niyyati M., Nazar M., Haghighi A., Nazemalhosseini E. 2015b. Reporting of T4 genotype of Acanthamoeba isolates in recreational water sources of gilan province, northern Iran. Novelty in Biomedicine, 3, 20–24Search in Google Scholar

Niyyati M., Rezaeian M. 2015. Current status of Acanthamoeba in iran: A narrative review article. Iranian journal of parasitology, 10, 157–16326246812Search in Google Scholar

Niyyati M., Saberi R., Latifi A., Lasjerdi Z. 2016. Distribution of Acanthamoeba Genotypes Isolated from Recreational and Therapeutic Geothermal Water Sources in Southwestern Iran. Environmental health insights, 10, 69–74. 10.4137/EHI.S3834927127409Search in Google Scholar

Nuprasert W., Putaporntip C., Pariyakanok L., Jongwutiwes S. 2010. Identification of a novel T17 genotype of Acanthamoeba from environmental isolates and T10 genotype causing keratitis in Thailand. Journal of clinical microbiology, 48, 4636–4640. 10.1128/JCM.01090-1020943863Search in Google Scholar

Risler A., Coupat-Goutaland B., Pélandakis M. 2013. Genotyping and phylogenetic analysis of Acanthamoeba isolates associated with keratitis. Parasitology research, 112, 3807–3816. 10.1007/s00436-013-3572-323959385Search in Google Scholar

Sambrook J., Fritsch E., Maniatis T. 1989. Molecular cloning. A laboratory manual. Cold Spring Harbour Laboratory Press.Search in Google Scholar

Schroeder J.M., Booton G.C., Hay J., Niszl I.A., Seal D.V., Markus M.B., et al. 2001. Use of subgenic 18S ribosomal DNA PCR and sequencing for genus and genotype identification of acanthamoebae from humans with keratitis and from sewage sludge. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 39, 1903–1911. 10.1128/JCM.39.5.1903-1911.200111326011Search in Google Scholar

Schuster F.L., Visvesvara G.S. 2004. Free-living amoebae as opportunistic and non-opportunistic pathogens of humans and animals. International journal for parasitology, 34, 1001–1027. 10.1016/j.ijpara.2004.06.00415313128Search in Google Scholar

Todd C.D., Reyes-Batlle M., Piñero J.E., Martínez-Carretero E., Valladares B., Streete D., et al. 2015. Isolation and molecular characterization of Acanthamoeba genotypes in recreational and domestic water sources from Jamaica, West Indies. Journal of water and health, 13, 909–919. 10.2166/wh.2015.23226322776Search in Google Scholar

Trabelsi H., Dendana F., Neji S., Sellami H., Cheikhrouhou F., Makni F., Ayadi A. 2016. Morphological and molecular identification of free living amoeba isolated from hospital water in Tunisia. Parasitology research, 115, 431–435. 10.1007/s00436-015-4788-126468150Search in Google Scholar

Zhang Y., Sun X., Wang Z., Li R., Luo S., Jin X.,et al. 2004. Identification of 18S ribosomal DNA genotype of Acanthamoeba from patients with keratitis in North China. Investigative ophthalmology & visual science, 45, 1904–1907. 10.1167/jovs.03-107315161856Search in Google Scholar

Received: 2017-3-17
Revised: 2017-8-4
Accepted: 2017-8-8
Published Online: 2017-10-15
Published in Print: 2017-12-20

© 2017 W. Stefański Institute of Parasitology, PAS